A gang of criminals in Jamsehdpur cornered while thrashing two young men after a tiff, tried to wriggle out of the situation by accusing their victims of being child lifters.

FIle photo of Jamshedpur Police who reportedly arrested a notorious gangster after he and his gang beat up two young men in teh city. (HT PHOTO)

A gang of criminals thrashed two young motorcyclists on Thursday and then accused them of being child lifters in an attempt to gain public support, adding to the worries of Jharkhand police who are struggling hard to check rumour mongering that have become a major law and order problem.

Suspicion over child lifting following rumours on WhatsApp had led to lynchings which have claimed nine lives in Jharkhand’s Kolhan division since May 12 while six men have escaped with injuries.

Akram Khan, 22 and his friend, Peter, 23, were returning home to Telco colony on a motorcycle when five men led by local gangster, Runu Yadav accosted them near Birsangar, a tribal dominated locality, for allegedly racing their motorbike on the busy road. They soon entered into a heated discussion.

Eye witnesses said Yadav and his accomplices began thrashing the duo. A police patrol van that was crossing by allegedly ignored the quarrel and sped away.

“The boys kept pleading but the hoodlums continued to beat them. When locals finally intervened, the hoodlums branded them suspected child lifters to gain their support,” said Afzal, an eye witness.

Akram’s father, a businessman, rushed to the scene and rescued the boys with the help of local people. Yadav showed no remorse and went on to stress that the boys had come to steal children.

Following a compliant to senior police superintendent, Anup T Mathew, he directed the city SP Prashant Anand to rush to the scene.

The injured were rushed to Tata Motors Hospital where they are convalescing. Akram’s mother is a nurse in the same hospital. He is studying BBA in Pune and had come home on summer vacation.

“We are investigating the case. The accused will not be spared,” Anand told reporters.

Sources said Yadav, who has a long criminal record, has been arrested, but police did not disclose it as a large group of Muslims had gathered both at the hospital and the police station to lodge their protests.